M59
|country = |period = |manufacturer = Pirelli Spasciani Sèkur|caption = M59 with an old T.35 filter|countries-issued = 1959|issued = civ? pas? navy? car? fire?}} filters]] The '''M59 '''was the standard Italian gas mask from 1959 on that succeded and replaced the T.35. Mask overview The M59 mask was composed of the following parts: * faceblank * eyepieces * internal dividing septum * phonic device (diaphragm) * exhale assembly * intake assembly * head-harness The faceblank is made of black, semi-rigid rubber. It is composed of the following: * the housings for the eyepieces, the exhale assembly, the intake assembly and the phonic device * two press-buttons to attach the septum * strap attachments The faceblank has a peripheral seal that allows easier seal to the user's face. On the left side of the faceblank, there is the main marking, which shows the name of the mask, the size (1 to 3 in roman number), the producer's logo and the unified code relative to the size. On the other side, there is a serial number marking. The septum, made of black rubber, is attached to the facepiece using the aforementioned press-buttons and by the connection to the housing of the exhale assembly and to the phonic device. It's shaped in such a way to create two chambers, one for the eyes and one for the mouth and nose. The upper part of the septum has a peripheral seal to adhere to the nose and cheeks to avoid fogging of the eyepieces. Adherence to the nose is assured by a steel clamp that keeps the shape of the septum. In the middle, there are 4 holes through which inhaled air passes. The shaping of the septum creates what effectively works as two Tissot ducts that start from the intake valve and end on the eyepieces. The straps are 5, one at the front, two at the temples and two at the cheeks. The top strap, which is rigid, is attached through a buckle to a strip of rubber atop the facepiece and another buckle on the nape pad, with multiple holes to adjust the length. The temple straps are attached in a similar way, but in this case, the buckle is attached through a cloth piece (identical in material to the straps) attached to the facepiece through a loop in the rubber. The cheek straps are attached through metal hooks permanently inserted in the rubber. All the elastic parts (on the 4 lower straps) are made of rubber straps enclosed in a canvas sheath that protects the aforementioned and prevents them from being stretched too much and breaking. The nape pad is composed of a rectangular canvas piece with rubber inserted inside and it's attached permanently to the lower 4 straps; it has a buckle at the top to connect to the top strap and a canvas loop on the connection with the right temple strap. The nape pad and the straps are an assembly that can be replaced with any other strap assembly used by the Army since 1931. The eyepieces are composed of two triangular triplex lenses that are kept tight onto the mask using aluminium frames. The phonic device (voice diaphragm) is made of a simple transparent plastic sheet housed in its dedicated assembly with a rubber gasket ensuring the seal. The assembly is fixed on the mask using zinc wire and black tape. The exhale assembly is located on the left side of the facepiece. It's made up of the round plastic housing, its cover and the valve itself. The exhale valve is a simple rubber disc with a rubber stud attached to it that keeps it attached to the housing. The cover is also made of plastic, it can rotate on one axis and can be removed with sufficient force. The assembly is fixed on the mask using zinc wire and black tape. The intake assembly is composed of an aluminium threaded piece that has a rubber gasket to seal with the hose and an "x" shaped crossbar section that supports the intake valve, which is a rubber disc with a hole in the middle. The kit, the hose and the variant The mask comes in a canvas bag with its filter. Some times the mask comes with a hose, which means that the mask was made for tank use. There is a dedicated optical variant of the M59, the M73. Category:Italy Category:Military Gas Masks Category:Cold War Era Mask Category:Full Face Masks